Spotting (exercise)
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Spotting, in weight or resistance training, is the act of supporting another person during a weightlifting exercise, or an exercise where it may be difficult or dangerous for a single participant to do, so allowing the participant to lift or push more than they could normally do safely.
Correct spotting involves knowing when to assist with a lift and encouraging a training partner to push beyond the point in which they would normally 'rack' (returning the weight to its stationary position) the weight.
Spotting relies on the placebo effect, whereby simply touching underneath a bar is enough to trick a person into believing that they are lifting a weight supported by their training partner which in turn may allow them to push one or two more repetitions beyond their normal capability.
Some of the exercises where spotting is considered valuable include:
- Bench Press, where the spotter lifts the bar above the lifter as needed;
- Biceps Curls, where the spotter stands in front of the lifter pushing the bar upwards in the same range of motion as the curl;
- Lat Pulldowns, where the spotter presses on the bar as it is pulled towards the body.
As a general rule to prevent injury and ensure safety, spotters should have the strength to be able to control the weight should their training partner's strength completely fail.
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